Unspoken Desires
by SweetVennum64
Summary: Set during season 3 after Stefan leaves. Elena will eventually be forced to confront her feelings for Damon. This will be a slow build to Damon/Elena romance. Rated M for smut in later chapters. ***This is my first story so please bear with me! And if you can, rate and review. I would really love to hear your opinions, thank you all for reading!*
1. Chapter 1

**It had been a month since Stefan left…a month since her heart beat…a month since her world came crashing down around her. It seemed that lately her life was a never ending horror story and each day she found it harder and harder to get out of bed…**

**Elena lay flat on her back, blankets pushed down somewhere around her feet, staring up at the ceiling, unblinking. She replayed Katherine's words to her on that fateful day a hundred times over in her head… "Stefan gave himself over to Klaus…"he sacraficed **_**everything, **_**including you, to save his brothers life…" **

**And there it was, that gut wrenching pain in the pit of her stomach, the pain that never seemed to cease, the pain of not knowing if Stefan was alive or dead. **_**Why hasn't he called? **_**She thought. **_**He should have at least called Damon by now. A whole month and not a word from him. God please let him be okay. **_**At that moment her alarm sounded and jerked her out of her inner monologue. She turned her head, **_**6:30am. God, how am I going to get through this day? **_**She thought as she reached over to the side table next to her bed and shut off the alarm. Breathing a heavy sigh she peeled herself from the mattress and dragged her feet to the bathroom. As she gazed at herself in the mirror she didn't even recognize the person staring back at her. Her eyes held no life. **_**I can't keep living like this. Stefan wouldn't want me to just give up on myself. And most of all, I have to think about Jeremy. I know he's been trying to stay strong for me but I can see my downward spiral into complete depression has affected him. **_**Elena took a deep breath and turned on the water in the sink, grabbed her washcloth, and began her morning routine.**

**Just as she finished brushing her teeth she heard her phone buzz. She ran from the bathroom and over to the dresser where her phone lay. *1 new text message* She unlocked her phone. A message from Caroline**

***Hey, my mom thinks she has a lead on Klaus. Be there in a bit***

**Elena's breath began to accelerate and the room started to spin. She stumbled over to her bed and sat down. She hit the reply button and sent a quick text back:**

***Oh my God, please hurry***

**Sheriff Forbes had been keeping an eye out for anything unusual in the news since Stefan and Klaus left town. Until now she had no news to offer, good or bad. Finally, she felt the first glimmer of hope rise up in her chest. **_**I just need to know that he's alive. That's it. We can figure out the rest later. **_** She thought as she lifted herself from the bed, wondered over to her closet and pulled out a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a red tank top. She dressed quickly and headed downstairs to wait for Caroline.**

**About 45 minutes later she heard a knock at the door. She flipped off the TV and darted over to the door. "Caroline!" Elena huffed in a sigh of relief. "What took you so long? I've been nearly out of my mind over here" She said, stepping out of the way for Caroline to enter. **

"**Well, Elena, I'm sorry if I can't rush to your every beckoning call but I do have a life of my own, you know." "Besides…that's Damon's job" she added with a roll of the eyes. **

**Elena dropped her head and felt her cheeks flame. Its true, Damon has been there for her through it all. Listening to her day after day as she cried for hours on end. She'd gone over to the Boarding House almost every day since the summer began and he was always there to comfort her. Some days were better than others but through it all, Damon is who has kept her grounded. She can honestly say she doesn't know where she would be right now if it hadn't been for him. He even offered her a room at the Boarding house until they were able to get things sorted out, but of course she declined. It would offer her a sense of security to have him right there in the next room if Katherine showed up, or if she had one of her sobbing fits for that matter, but she felt that would be a little too close for comfort. She already felt herself drawing closer to him emotionally and seeing his softer side caused her to, completely against her will, confront certain feelings for him that she refused to acknowledge once upon a time. **

**Caroline sighed heavily and it snapped Elena back to reality. "Look, Elena, I'm sorry. I know you miss Stefan and I know this has been really hard for you. I'm just not having such a good day either. Tyler and I got into a fight last night and I'm still a little annoyed." Caroline said as she placed her hand on Elena's shoulder. Elena looked up and, an apologetic smile on her face. "It's okay, I haven't been the easiest person to get along with lately, I'm sorry."**

"**Come on, lets sit down and you can tell me what Sherriff Forbes found" Elena motioned toward the kitchen. Caroline took a seat at one of the barstools at the kitchen island in the center of the room and Elena took a seat on the stool across from her. **

"**An animal attack was reported in Tennesee," Caroline started. " She did some digging and was able to find out that the bodies were completely drained of blood and torn apart." **

**Elena was floored. **_**This is it, this has to be Klaus, **_**she thought as she stared at Caroline, willing her to continue. **

"**She even managed to get an address," Caroline added as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Elena sat there looking at the piece of paper Caroline held out to her. **_**This could be it, **_**she thought,**_** this could be the one thing that I've been waiting on for an entire month.**_

"**I know, I'm awesome," Caroline said with a smirk. Elena reached for the paper and Caroline jerked her hand away before Elena could grab it, a warning glare on her face. "Now don't you go off trying to be Indiana Jones and go on a hunting trip alone," Caroline said, narrowing her eyes to slits. "I know you Elena, and I want you to promise me you won't do anything reckless."**

**Elena let out an exhasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "I **_**promise, **_**now give it to me Caroline!" Elena said, holding out her hand expectantly.**

"**Elena, so help me, I will hunt you down and lock you away myself if I so much as smell mischief coming off of you, and I'm a vampire so you know I can do it!," she said with a slight smile as she handed over the piece of paper. **

"**Thank you so much Caroline!, I owe you BIG!," Elena said as she walked around to give her best friend a hug.**

"**Don't mention it. I remember how I felt when Tyler left town without so much as a goodbye…just be careful, okay," Caroline said, pulling back from their embrace to look Elena in the eye. "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you" Caroline said.**

"**I'll be careful," Elena promised. "I need to call Damon," she said as she fished her phone from her back pocket.**

"**Well, I need to get going anyway, tell Damon he'd better not let one hair on your head get harmed," Caroline said, waving a finger at her and heading toward the door. "I'll show myself out"**

"**I'll call you later! she yelled after her friend. "Thanks again Car!" After she heard the front door close she quickly dialed Damon's number. **

"**Well hello Elena," he answered after the first ring. "To what do I owe this early morning pleasure?" She could tell he was grinning on the other end of the phone but she was in no mood to play into his cocky attitude this morning.**

"**Got some Klaus news, be there in a bit," She said and quickly hung up the phone before he had time to respond. She grabbed her keys off the kitchen table and made her way quickly out the door and into the car.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Elena pulled up to the boarding house, shut off the engine, and let out a shaky breath. She struggled not to let her mind get away from her. **_**This is just a lead, don't get your hopes up. We don't have any concrete evidence yet. **_**She repeated this over in her head until she was convinced she believed it. **

**She exited the car and slowly walked up to the Boarding House. Opening the door using the key Damon had given her last month, her eyes were immediately drawn to him. He was standing motionlessly in front of the burning fireplace watching the flames dance, a glass of bourbon in his hand, his torso was bare. Dressed only in a pair of black jeans, hanging low on his hips, and a pair of black boots. There was something about this scene that made her heart swell with emotion. He was so alone and even though he would never admit it to her, she knew he missed his brother as much as she did. **

**She closed the door and made her way over to him, stopping a few feet from where he stood. She ran her fingers through her long brown locks then stuffed her hands into the pockets of her shorts.**

**Still not turning to face her, Damon shifted from one leg to the other and let out a deep , exaggerated sigh. "So…Klaus news huh?" he said, bringing the glass to his mouth and taking a swig of his bourbon. "Well, you gonna spit it out or would you rather stand there admiring my glorious backside?" He said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. After a moment of silence he finally turned, meeting her eyes. He noticed a hint of sadness and instantly his demeanor changed. He placed his glass on the bar and closed the distance between them until they were inches apart. "What's wrong Elena, isn't this what you've been waiting for?" He said, unleashing the full power of his deep blue eyes on her. **

"**I know Damon, but now that we finally have something I'm sort of terrified. I mean, what if it's bad news? What if…what if…" Her eyes moved to the floor and she felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes. **

**Damon's heart broke into a million pieces. He hated seeing her like this. He would gladly rip his own heart out if it meant taking her pain away. He swept her up in his arms and rested his chin on her head. His touch was all she needed and the waterworks began. **

"**Shhhh Elena, it's gonna be ok. We'll get through this." He said as he gently stroked her hair. He led her over to the oversized sofa and sat down next to her. Placing his hands on either side of her head, he brought her face up until they were looking into each others eyes. He brushed a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb and gave her a reassuring smile. "We will find him Elena, I promise."**

**She felt her muscles relax as she let his words sink in. She brought her hands up and placed them over his. "Thank you Damon, I don't know what I would do if you weren't here," she said, tightening her grip on his hands. They had grown so close over the past month and she was felt truly at ease when he was around. He always knew what to say to make her feel better.**

**Damon tensed slightly, her words slowly playing in his mind. As he sat there, staring into her big brown eyes, he found himself wishing they were sitting here sharing this moment under different circumstances, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. She was still his brothers girl, she was still in love with his brother, and it would always be his brother. **_**Get a hold of yourself Damon. **_**He mentally scolded himself. He forced a tight smile and slowly withdrew his hands from her face, and her embrace. He cleared his throat and put his game face on. "So what's the news?" he asked as he stood and headed for the bar. He grabbed a bottle, refilled his drink and headed back over to where Elena sat.**

**She removed the scrap of paper from her pocket and handed it to Damon. "Caroline said there was an animal attack in Tennessee. This is the address where the victims lived." She finished. **

**Damon looked at the address scrawled on the paper and then back at Elena. "This is it? This is what's got you all worked up?" **

"**Damon, she said the bodies had been drained of blood and they had been ripped apart" Elena said, her voice barely audible.**

**Damon took a long sip of his drink and let his eyes drift to the fireplace. He thought for a long moment and then breathed a heavy sigh. "Hmmm, my brother The Ripper…back at it again," he said, acid strong in his words. He polished off his drink and headed back to the bar for another.**

"**The Ripper?" Elena said as she stood from the couch, eyes wide with shock. "So you honestly think this was Stefan?" She headed over to the bar where he stood, sipping from his second glass of bourbon. "No Damon, Stefan wouldn't do that."**

"**Oh come off it Elena, you've been in denial from day one," he said, anger apparent in his eyes. "You refuse to believe that your Saint Stefan can be a cold hearted killer. Let's not forget Elena, each time he's fallen off the bunny diet bandwagon I've been the one running behind him cleaning up his messes. I **_**absolutely**_** believe this is my brothers work."**

**Elena turned away from Damon, refusing to let him see the hurt in her eyes. He was right, and she knew it. And even though it pained her to know that Stefan could be behind this horror, it did give her a small sense of relief that he could still be alive. If what Damon was saying was the truth, if Ripper Stefan was, in fact, back and in full bloom then she knew she had to go save him and bring him back from the edge. She turned back to face Damon, who was staring at her intently. "So, when do we leave?" She asked matter-of-factly.**

**Damons eyes widened momentarily, then his face turned to stone. "Hell no Elena, you think I'm gonna take you straight to the fire and throw you in? Not happening. I'll take Ric. If this is Klaus and my brothers handy work you need to stay as far away from it as possible. Klaus still thinks you're dead and I intend to keep it that way."**

"**Damon, there is nothing you can say to keep me from this. I've waited a month for something, anything…and I refuse to let you go without me. Besides, Ric needs to stay here and protect Jeremy. Klaus isn't the only person causing havoc in our lives, you know." **

**Elena had her stubborn face on and Damon knew he didn't stand a chance. After what seemed like an eternity of silence he finally relaxed his stance. He walked over to her and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Look Elena, you need to be prepared for what's about to happen. You don't know my brother when he's hyped up on human blood. It's not a pretty sight. This could get really ugly and if you're gonna do this with me I need to know that you are gonna behave and do exactly as I say." He looked deep into her eyes, pleading with her to understand. "I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you." He added, his voice cracking a little as the last word passed his lips. Elena was really his only reason for sticking around. She was the reason he felt he had a purpose in life. At this point, if anything happened to her he'd gladly take off his ring and go sun bathing.**

**Elena could see the raw emotion in his eyes and she knew how hard it was for him to say those words. "I promise Damon, I will behave" she said, looking at him square in the eye letting him know she was serious.**

"**Good, now I need to call Ric and let him know what's going on and get a few things together. You need to go home and grab some stuff and I'll meet you there in an hour." He said as he pulled his cell from his pocket and headed for the stairs.**

_**This is it. This is the moment I've been waiting for. **_**Elena thought as she headed to the car. Her hands were shaking as she unlocked her door and slid into the drivers seat. She closed her eyes and struggled to mentally prepare herself for all possible outcomes. **_**Well I'm as ready as I'll ever be. **_**She started the car and sped toward her house to gather her things.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Elena finally made it home and hurried toward the front door. She struggled with the lock but finally managed to get it open. She ran up the stairs into Jeremy's room where he was sketching at his desk. He turned around, startled by her sudden and clumsy entrance. "Hey Jer." She said breathlessly. "Can we talk for a sec?" She said, heading over to sit on the edge of his bed.**

"**Uh, sure, what's up?" He closed his sketch pad and swiveled his chair until he was facing Elena. **_**This must be bad. **_**He thought as he waited for her to catch her breath.**

"**I just wanted to catch you up on things. I know you've been worried about me, you know, with this whole Stefan thing…" she let her words trail off as she slowly let the whole situation sink in. "Anyway," she continued when she noticed Jeremy shifting impatiently in his chair. "Caroline came over earlier today. She was able to get a possible lead on Stefans whereabouts so Damon and I are gonna be heading to Tennessee to look for him…"**

**Jeremy leaned forward in his chair, eyes growing wide. "What? Elena, are you crazy? You can't just go off to Tennessee on some suicide mission to rescue Stefan! Don't you think Damon can handle this on his own? You're just gonna get yourself killed!"**

**Elena leaned forward and placed her hand on her brothers knee. "I'll be fine Jer, I promise. Damon won't let anything happen to me. But you know I will go mad if I'm just left here to twiddle my thumbs. I have to go. Damon isn't exactly capable of reigning in his temper and I may have to help keep him in check. We have no idea what we are about to walk into. Plus, we may have a better chance of bringing Stefan back if I'm able to talk some sense into him."**

**Elena could see the fear in her brothers eyes. "I don't know Elena, this sounds like a really bad idea." Jeremy stood and began pacing back and forth. **

"**I know you're scared Jeremy, and honestly, so am I but I have to do this. Stefan would do anything in his power to save me. I have to do this for him."**

"**But Elena…" Jeremy started**

"**No Jeremy," Elena stopped him before he could continue to protest. If Stefan and Damon hadn't been trying to save me from Klaus they wouldn't be in this mess. I will do everything I can to make things right again." She pleaded**

"**Elena, I know it's in your nature to try to protect everyone around you and I love you for that." He now stood in front of Elena and she lifted herself from his bed. "God, I hate this, but I also know I can't stop you. I know when you have your mind set, no one can change it. After a long silence, Jeremy finally exhaled. "Elena, please be careful. And I want you to keep me posted. If I go for more than a few hours without hearing from you I'm coming after you." He warned.**

**Elena embraced her brother. "I promise, everything will be okay. Damon is filling Ric in on everything and then he's stopping by to pick me up so we can get an early start. Ric will stay here with you until I get back. I'm gonna go pack a few things. Jeremy held Elena a few moments longer before he released her from their embrace.**

"**Fine," he said and headed back over to his desk.**

**Elena headed to her room, stopping to glance at her brother once more before exiting. When she got to her room she headed to her closet, pulled out small duffel bag and dumped random items in. She wasn't even sure if anything matched, she wasn't even sure she cared. She just wanted to get to Tennessee and get this over with. After she finished packing she grabbed her journal and sat on the window seat. Writing always calmed her nerves.**

**###**

**Damon was in his car headed toward Elena's house. **_**Roughly 10 hours in close quarters with Elena Gilbert. This could get interesting. **_**He let out a small chuckle at the thought. Over the past month he felt he did a fairly good job at pretending he wasn't head over hills in love with her. I mean, of course she knew he loved her. He told her while on his death bed, but she had no true idea of the hold she had on him. She had him completely wrapped around her finger and he hated it. He was completely in love with a girl he knew he could never have. It ripped him apart inside but he couldn't bear to walk away from her. Especially not now, not after his brother blew town. After all, it was his fault his brother was in this mess in the first place. And if they did succeed in bringing Stefan back, he wasn't sure how long he could stomach their reunion. He felt physically sick thinking about the amount of groping Elena and his brother would engage in. "Ugh," he expressed his disgust out loud.**

**He was nearly at her house and began to mentally prepare himself for the torture he was about to put himself through. As he pulled up the driveway he let out a deep sigh. He reached under the passenger seat and pulled out his secret stash of bourbon. He took a long drink, downing nearly half the bottle, and placed it back under the seat. He exited the car and walked straight into Elena's house and upstairs to her room. She jumped at the sight of him standing in her doorway. Dressed in a black button down shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, black jeans, and his signature black boots.**

"**You know, you should really learn to lock your door. You don't know what's lurking out there waiting to nibble on your neck," he said, flashing a wicked grin. **

"**Oh shut up Damon," she said as she stood up from her place on the window seat. "Did you talk to Ric? I filled Jeremy in on everything."**

"**Yeah, he's on his way over." He said as he walked over and grabbed her duffel bag off the floor. "Well, let's get to it." He said as he turned and headed back down the stairs.**

**Elena stopped and said a quick goodbye to Jeremy before following Damon downstairs and out the front door. **

**Damon threw her bag in the back seat with his things and slid into the driver seat. He looked over at Elena and noticed her furrowed brow. He leaned toward her and she turned to look at him, their faces mere centimeters apart. She looked down at his lips and then quickly back to his eyes. "I'm giving you one more chance to back out. I am more than capable of doing this on my own Elena. You don't have to put yourself through this. He said in a low and husky voice, half wishing she would take him up on his offer.**

"**No Damon, I need to do this. I'm ready. Now let's go, we're losing sunlight." She said as she buckled her seatbelt.**

"**Alright, suit yourself." He stated as he leaned back in his seat and started the ignition. **

**###**

**They were now on the open road, headed toward God knows what. Elena let her thoughts roam as she imagined several different possibilities. No matter what they walked into she was determined that the end result would be them bringing Stefan back. **

**She glanced over at Damon who had been eerily silent for the most part. She gazed into his aqua blue eyes and they looked a little vacant…disconnected, like he was thinking about something far away. **_**His eyes are a shade darker today, **_**she noted. **_**He's sulking. **_**She allowed her eyes to roam down toward his jaw line. **_**I never realized how perfectly sculptured his face is. **_**She thought absently as her eyes continued their journey down and around his jaw line until her eyes rested on his lips. Unconsciously she ran her tongue along her bottom lip. **_**Damon is beautiful, **_**she thought, her lips still slightly parted. Of course she'd always known Damon was attractive, you'd have to be blind , deaf, and dumb not to see that. But she never let herself **_**really **_**look at him, with her focus being on her and Stefan's relationship for the past three years, and with this recent thing with him and Klaus. Not to mention how hard it is to chisel through Damon's cocky attitude and snarky comments. **

**She noticed Damon's grip on the steering wheel tighten and she knew she'd been caught.**

"**Say what's on your mind Gilbert," he said without turning to face her.**

"**Why don't you have a girlfriend?" The words tumbled out before she had the chance to think about it. Her cheeks turned bright red. **_**Well, it's out now. No point in acting shy. **_**She thought as she looked at him, waiting for his response.**

**He slowly turned his head until their eyes met, his look was one of confusion and surprise. "Seriously? That's what you were over there thinking about?" "I thought you were trying to blow my head up with your mind or something. That was rather intense."**

"**Really Damon, I want to know," she said, ignoring his comment. " I mean, you're attractive and funny. And you really do have a beautiful heart, even though you never let anyone see it. You're a real catch."**

**He licked his lips, his eyes suddenly serious as he let them run down to her chest and slowly back up to her eyes. "Well…why couldn't I catch you?" He asked simply.**

**He tried to hide the hurt and longing in his words but Elena picked up on it. She turned her head quickly and gazed out her window. **_**I walked right into that one, **_**she thought, refusing to turn back and look at him. She hated seeing that look of pain in his eyes, especially knowing she put it there. She cared for Damon, she really did, but what could she do? She met Stefan first. Stefan was the one who swept her off her feet and she fell for him almost instantly. And then along comes Damon. At first she will admit, he was a hard pill to swallow but somewhere along the way he weaseled his way into her heart and now she can't shake him to save her life. He'd become one of her best friends and she didn't want to lose him. She couldn't lose him.**

**###**

**She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep but suddenly her eyes jerked open and darted around aimlessly, finally landing on Damon. **

"**Welcome back," he said with a smile. "You sleep like the dead, you know."**

**She glanced out the window, the sun had gone down. They were surrounded by trees on both sides. No civilization in sight. "Where are we?" she said, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"**

"**Well, we're probably between somewhere and nowhere," he stated, flashing his sideways grin. "It's nearly 1am so we're gonna have to pull into a motel soon."**

"**No Damon! Are you kidding? We can't stop, we need to keep going." She screamed. "Stefan needs us, we don't need to sleep." She noticed Damon slowing and heading toward an exit. "Damon, NO! We're not stopping!"**

"**Ugh…you were so much more fun when you were asleep," he said, rolling his eyes. He continued off the exit. He looked over at Elena. She had her arms crossed over her chest and she was wearing her angry face. "Look Elena, I may be a vampire but we've been driving for hours and contrary to popular belief, I do get tired. Let's just shower and get a few hours of sleep. I promise we'll get up at the crack of dawn and start again tomorrow. We only have about 5 more hours of driving time. We'll get to him, I promise." He said, hoping her little rant was over. When she didn't say another word he decided to take it as surrender.**

**They finally pulled up to a tiny motel just off the exit. The parking lot was nearly vacant, a single light shown dimly in the front office. The two exited the vehicle, the hot summer day was gone and a light breeze caused Elena to shiver. She found herself clinging to Damon's arm, eyes shooting warily around the parking lot, as they made their way to the door. She was always so on edge. She couldn't remember the last time she wasn't tense and waiting for something to pounce on her. Damon stroked the back of her hand gently, noticing her fingers nearly about to rip a hole in the sleeve of his John Varvatos shirt. "Easy Elena, you're with me…you're safe. Besides, there's probably nothing around here for miles. Just look at this cheesy little town," he added lightly, trying to ease her mind.**

**As they entered the office the smell of must and burning incense attacked Elena's nose. She loosened her grip on Damon's sleeve as they approached the front desk. A gray haired woman who looked to be in her late 60's slowly made her way toward them. **

"**Single room please….,"Damon said as the lady reached the counter. "…double beds if you have it," he added as he noticed Elena shooting daggers at him with her eyes. The woman behind the counter punched a few keys on her computer, reached behind her and gabbed a key. "That'll be $19.99," she said, holding out her hand. Damon dug into his pockets and pulled out a wadded $100 bill and placed it on the counter. He then grabbed the key and Elena's hand and headed for the door.**


	4. Chapter 4

**As she sat on her bed waiting for Damon to come back in with their bags she let her eyes roam around the room. There were two twin beds in the center of the room, separated by a small wooden nightstand and a single lamp. Across from their beds was a large wooden dresser against the wall with an extremely outdated television sitting on top, and lastly, a tiny bathroom with stand alone shower. She let out a sigh. **_**I guess this will do. I am kind of beat. At least some sleep with give my mind a break from all that's been going on. **_**She stifled a yawn and propped herself against the headboard and rummaged around in her purse until she located her phone. **

***1 new text message* **

**A message from Bonnie: *Hey. Jeremy filled me in on your latest discovery. Let me know if you need my help…be careful Elena. Love you***

**With all the drama going on Elena had completely forgotten to fill Bonnie in on everything. Just as she was about to reply, Damon came in, hands full of their things. She hopped up and grabbed a handful of things to lighten his load.**

"**Damn Elena, did you think we were going on a month long vacation? What the hell do you have in there?" Damon asked, motioning toward her black duffle.**

**Elena let a small smile play on her lips. "Yeah, I know. I guess I was feeling a little anxious." She said as she sifted through the items in her bag trying to find something decent to sleep in. She finally decided on a pair of blue yoga shorts and a white tank top. "I'm gonna shower." She said, grabbing her clothes and toiletries before making her way to the bathroom.**

**###**

**Freshly showered and dressed, Elena emerged from the bathroom and headed toward her bed. She paused, momentarily dazed as she spotted Damon lying on his bed on his back, head propped up on one of the pillows, eyes closed. One of his hands behind his head and the other rested on his stomach. He had changed into a pair of loose grey sweats, and of course no shirt. As she slowly inched toward her bed, careful not to wake him, she let her eyes roam his body. **

**Damon's body was very toned and lean, not overly muscular. His skin looked smooth to the touch. She found herself imagining what the sensation of raking her fingernails down the muscular planes of his chest would feel like…the way his abs would taste under her lips as she placed gentle, wet kisses on his stomach…she let her teeth sink into her bottom lip as her eyes continued to inch their way down until they landed on the waistband of his sweatpants. Her breath began to accelerate as she imagined what lie beneath. Just before she was about to let her mind run wild Damon's eyes opened and he turned his head toward her, a confused look on his face.**

"**Elena? What's wrong?" He asked, sitting up.**

"**Nothing," she said, her cheeks flaming crimson as she quickly crawled onto her bed, pulling the blankets back. "Why do you ask?"**

"**Well, for starters, you were standing there eyeing me like I was the first meal you'd seen in days. And secondly, your heart sounds like it's about to burst from your chest," he said, wrinkling his forehead.**

_**Of course, **_**she thought, **_**that damned vampire hearing. **_**"Oh…uh…I was just thinking about tomorrow, you know. I guess I'm just a bit freaked about this whole situation." She said, idly drawing patterns on her pale blue comforter. **

**Damon eyed her suspiciously, clearly not buying her explanation, but decided not to push the subject. He exhaled heavily. "Well, you should probably get to sleep then, big day tomorrow." He leaned back to rest his head on his pillow and closed his eyes.**

"**Yeah, I guess you're right." She shut off the lamp before she let herself slink down onto her own pillow and pulled the blankets up to her shoulders. **

**She was somewhere in the realm of sleep and awake…weird images began to play before her eyes:**

_**Elena was walking down a long dark hallway, hands pressed against cold, wet stone on either side of her as she struggled to keep her balance in the darkness. She squinted her eyes trying to make out her surroundings. In the distance she saw a faint light. As she slowly made her way toward the light she could hear stifled moans. She began to pick up speed, making her way toward the noise. The moans got louder and louder as she stumbled down the hallway, desperate to save whoever it was on the other end of the corridor. Just before she reached her destination, an oversized wooden door at the end of the hallway, she tripped. Hurdling toward the floor, she instinctively shot both arms out in front of her in an attempt to break her fall. Her hands and knees both connected with the stone floor at the same time and she let out a blood curdling cry as something on the floor beneath her sliced through her leg just below her knee. She curled up into a ball on the floor, clutching her leg and writhing in pain. She could feel the blood begin to spill from the wound, soaking her jeans. She managed to find her voice and screamed for help. Silence. Deafening silence. She screamed for what seemed like an eternity until her throat burned and she was forced to give up. The pain in her leg started to dull as he began to feel weak, the room spinning as blood continued to pulse from the wound. Her pant leg now soaked with her own blood. She was quickly beginning to lose strength and she knew she had to think quickly before she lost consciousness. She felt around on the floor for something, anything she could tie around her leg to stop the bleeding. Coming up empty, she finally removed the shirt she was wearing and tied it tightly over the wound. After a few moments lying motionless on the floor she finally lifted herself and continued to make her way toward the door. When she reached her destination she pressed her ear to the door. She could no longer hear the moans and she wondered if she was too late. She lowered a shaky hand to the doorknob and twisted. She had to muster up all her strength as she pushed on the door and it groaned under her pressure as she forced it wide open. She pressed her hands over her eyes, the white light illuminating from the room temporarily blinding her. She blinked rapidly for several moments, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light. **_

_**She was in the most beautiful room she had ever seen. In the center of the room was a large table that could seat at least 100 people. Several platters covered with stainless steel tins scattered the table top. To her left, the entire wall was made of glass and she looked out over a beautiful blue ocean front. To her right, vase after vase of sunflowers scattered on several tables made of polished mahogany wood. At her feet, rose petals scattered the floor. She followed the rose petals into the next room. She crossed the threshold into the next room, in its center, an enormous four poster bed made of the same mahogany wood. Sheer white curtains draped across the top and tumbled down the sides of the bed in beautiful cascades. Her eyes grew wide as they landed on the persons who lie in the center of the bed. **_

_**Stefan and Katherine lay with their arms and legs intertwined, feasting on one another. Blood stained the white satin sheets underneath them. She was frozen in her tracks as they both suddenly turned their heads to glare at her, eyes wild with hunger. She heard Stefan let out a menacing growl, Katherine let out a low hiss as their eyes traveled down to her leg. She followed their eyes and she remembered her blood stained jeans and bleeding wound. When she finally looked back to them she saw the dark veins begin to protrude under their eyes, and fangs slowly sliding into place. Before she had time to scream they both darted toward her. Fade to black.**_

_**###**_

"**Elena! Elena!" Damon screamed as he shook her frantically, trying to force her from her dream.**

**Elena shot straight up in bed, gasping for air. Her hair matted to her forehead, little beads of sweat slid down her face. Her eyes were wide as she frantically searched her surroundings. Dazed and confused she finally noticed Damon sitting in front of her on her bed searching her eyes, a worried expression on his face. Seeing him made her body immediately relax and without thinking, she lunged for him. Landing in his lap she pressed her face to his bare chest and wrapped her arms around him, his cool skin becoming a remedy for her overheated skin. Momentarily stunned, Damon just sat there, frozen in place and not knowing what to do, or say. **

**Her quiet sobs snapped him into protector mode and he wrapped one arm around her waist and placed his other hand on her head, slowly running his fingers through her hair. "Everything is okay Elena, I'm right here. It was just a dream. "He whispered to her as he continued to stroke her hair. He felt her arms tighten as she held on to him for dear life.**

"**It was horrible Damon," she managed to speak between sobs. "Stefan was there with…with Katherine! And they were feeding from each other….it was the most heart breaking thing I've ever seen! …and when they saw me….they tried to kill me Damon!" Elena was beginning to lose control. "Oh my God Damon, I don't know if I can go through with this! What was I thinking?" Damon felt Elena convulse in his arms as new sobs began to erupt.**

**He grabbed her face and rested his hands on either side, as he'd frequently done, and looked deep into her eyes. "Listen to me Elena. It was only a dream. Just a dream." He waited, watching her intently as reason began to rise in her eyes. "Do you trust me?" He asked. **

"**Yes, I trust you Damon. You know I do," she said, never breaking eye contact. **

**His heart began to swell with emotion and he just wanted to hold her in his arms for eternity. This woman was his world and he would do anything in his power to protect her and bring her though this, alive and unscathed. Even if he would end up handing her over to his brother in the end.**

"**Elena, I will not let anything happen to you, I promise. No one is gonna hurt you…..especially not my brother," he added with conviction. **

**They sat there in each other's arms for an immeasurable amount of time and when her heartbeat finally slowed and her breathing was steady he pulled her blankets back, lifted her from his lap and placed her back in her bed, head resting on her pillow. When he folded her blankets back over her and began to lift himself from the bed she grabbed his arm.**

"**Please Damon, just lie here with me until I fall asleep," She pleaded.**

**Her eyes were wide and he could see a well of emotion playing on her face. "Of course," He whispered.**

**To his surprise she pulled the blankets back and scooted over for him to join her underneath the blankets. He knew he'd be testing his own control but he couldn't deny her the comfort he knew she needed. He slid next to her on the bed and leaned back to rest on her pillow. She pulled the blankets over them and slid dangerously close to him, her body pressed flush against his. He stifled a groan as she threw her leg over one of his and rested her arm across his belly, her head nestled between his neck and shoulders.**

**She smelled of strawberries and her skin felt so soft against his. He balled is hands into fists, fighting the urge to caress her body. His breathing increased slightly and he closed his eyes, gnawing on his bottom lip.**

"**Damon?" Her voice barely above a whisper. "I want you to know that I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will protect me…and that you would never let anything or anyone hurt me. But I need you to promise that you will protect yourself as well. I would be devastated if you got hurt or killed trying to protect me." She finished, drawing in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. His scent calmed her, the smell of bourbon and his favorite cologne.**

"**Elena I will do my best to bring all of us home safe and sound, but I can't promise you anything and you know that. If it ever came down to you or me…you know what my choice would be." He drew in a deep breath and held it as she began to slowly draw random patterns on his stomach with her index finger. **_**God she's killing me! **_**He screamed in his head. **

**She angled her head so she could see his face. He turned to face her as well, their lips dangerously close. She could feel his cool breath brushing across her face and her mouth began to water. "Damon I can't lose you…I…I need you." She said, looking deep into his eyes.**

**Damon swallowed heavily, licked his lips and closed his eyes. "Elena…." He started but she placed a finger over his lips, silencing him. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath as he watched her move her mouth closer to his. He knew this was wrong. He knew he should stop her. He knew he would suffer dire consequences later. But he couldn't bring himself to care. The moment their lips touched, Damon's mind went blank. His universe was complete and nothing else mattered but this moment in time.**

**Her lips were soft and gentle against his at first and then her lips began to move faster against his, coaxing his mouth open with her tongue, and he gladly gave her what she was searching for. As their tongues intertwined she moved her hands up and buried them in his hair, pulling him closer as their tongues continued to fight for dominance. He moved his hand to her hip and she took heed. Suddenly she broke the kiss, breathing heavily. Passion and desire written all over her face. She moved to straddle his hips and his eyes widened as he felt her center meet his. He placed both hands on her hips and began to run them slowly up her ribcage and back down again to rest on her hips. **_**She is so beautiful. **_**She leaned forward, her chest pressed against his, nipples fighting the fabric of her shirt as they grew hard at the feel of his hands on her body. She took his bottom lip into her mouth and sucked slowly. He let out a low groan as he felt his control shatter. He brought his head up to claim her mouth once more and their tongues resumed their sensual dance. He let his hands roam her body. Gripping her ass and then running them down along her thighs. **

"**Mmmm, Damon, please…I need you," She whispered against his lips. He flipped her over and settled himself between her legs. His core pressed against hers and she could feel his manhood grow underneath the restraint of his pants. She took in a breath as he hooked his fingers around one of the thin straps of her tank top and began to slide it slowly down her shoulder. She arched her back toward him as one of her breast was released. He lowered his lips over her nipple and began the slow torture as he let his tongue explore her mound, gently suckling her nipple. She let out a low and throaty moan. He was driving her mad. "Oh God, Damon…" she managed to moan between labored breaths. He lifted himself up onto his knees, looking down on her as he removed the other strap from her shoulder, her shirt now bunched around her hips, both of her breasts now freed and begging for his touch. **

**He'd always imagined how she would taste and this was beyond his wildest dreams. He lowered himself on top of her and began to place open mouthed kisses on her neck. He could feel her pulse thumping deliciously under her skin and his hunger grew. The sounds of pleasure that were escaping her lips ignited a flame within him that only burned for her. He wanted to devour her. He continued his journey down to her chest, wanting to taste every inch of her. He didn't' know how long this would last but he wanted to savor every moment. He made his way down to the area between her breasts and continued until he reached her stomach. "You taste divine," he purred against her skin. As neared her belly button he could smell the mouthwatering nectar between her thighs and his entire being ached with need. Her thighs spread wide, a clear invitation. He hooked his fingers underneath the waistband of her shorts and just as he was about to unwrap his prize her phone rang, startling them both.**

**She sat up straight in the bed, her arms instinctively wrapped around her chest, struggling to cover her exposed breasts. Head hanging low.**

**Damon felt as if he was going to die. The look of shame on her face burned him like nothing he'd ever felt. He slowly lifted himself from her mattress and over to the dresser where her phone lay. He tossed it over to her and made his way over to his bed, avoiding eye contact at all costs. He sat down on his bed facing away from Elena, head resting in his palms. **_**God, how could I be so stupid? How could I let this happen? She's not mine! She belongs to Stefan. **_**His mental torment dragged on has he shook his head slowly…defeated.**

**Elena looked at the caller ID on her phone. **_**Crap, Jeremy. I forgot to call him. **_**Elena debated on whether or not to answer the phone. It was nearly 3am. She decided she didn't need Jeremy coming after her. "Hey Jer," she finally answered. "I'm sorry, I know I forgot to call. This whole thing has my mind blown. What are you still doing up anyway?"**

"**Well, waiting on your call first of all." He said angrily. "Glad you're okay though. Where are you? Did you guys make it to Tennessee?"**

"**No..um…we decided to stop at a motel and call it a night. We'll get an early start tomorrow." **

**The silence on the other end of the phone was deafening as she heard Jeremy's heaving breathing on the other end. "Look Jer, everything is fine…I'll call you in the morning. I need to get some sleep."**

"**Fine, whatever Elena." Jeremy said and disconnected the line.**

**Elena placed the phone on the nightstand next to her bed and pulled her shirt up and back into place before she looked over at Damon. He was still sitting straight up on the bed, head bowed. She let out a small sigh. "Damon…" she started.**

"**Save it Elena, "He said voice cold. "We have to get back on the road in a few hours and you need to get some sleep." He finished, not turning to face her.**

**Elena could tell he was putting his walls back up and it broke her heart. Without another word she shut off the bedside lamp, settled against her pillow and forced her eyes closed.**


End file.
